Psilocybin Prevents Chemotherapy-Induced Nerve Damage in Mouse Study

In a new study published in Science, scientists demonstrated that administering psilocybin to mice before chemotherapy completely prevented the onset of neuropathy, a common side effect affecting up to 60% of patients receiving platinum-based drugs. The mice received two doses of the compound prior to each of six chemotherapy rounds across eight months, which preserved normal sensory perception and prevented degeneration of skin-innervating nerve fibers.

The treatment did not diminish the chemotherapy’s tumor-shrinking efficacy. Mechanistically, psilocybin activated receptors on sensory nerves, triggering pathways that maintain mitochondrial transport essential for neuron health. A related non-hallucinogenic molecule, tabernanthalog, yielded comparable neuroprotective results, showing that the benefit is independent of psychedelic effects. Experts highlighted the finding as a novel preventive approach to chemotherapy-induced pain rather than a remedy after damage occurs.